A Clean Energy Company - Corporate Presentation - February 2020 ASX: PLL NASDAQ: PLL - cloudfront.net
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
A Clean Energy Company Corporate Presentation – February 2020 ASX: PLL NASDAQ: PLL ABN 50 002 664 495
Why Piedmont Lithium? ▪ Wave of electric vehicles coming to market STRONG ▪ 36% annual growth projected for lithium hydroxide MARKET OUTLOOK ▪ Large investments in US and Europe battery supply chain ▪ World-class Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt (“TSB”) IDEAL ▪ 60+ years of lithium processing on TSB PROJECT LOCATION ▪ Abundant infrastructure and lithium talent pool ▪ Large local labor force – no camp costs LOW ▪ Low power and transportation costs OPERATING COSTS ▪ Low royalties and income taxes ▪ EVs reduce emissions by 67% vs. ICEs (Wood Mackenzie) POSITIVE ▪ Hard rock preferred by major OEMs for improved sustainability ESG PROFILE ▪ PLL supply chain potentially 98% shorter than current routes ▪ USA’s only conventional lithium project UNIQUE ▪ USA’s only spodumene-to-hydroxide project STRATEGIC ASSET ▪ Located in USA’s ‘Auto Alley’ ▪ Lithium equities recovering from 2-year lows SUBSTANTIAL ▪ Piedmont trading at ~5% of Project NPV VALUATION UPSIDE ▪ Kidman deal implies huge upside for PLL ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 3
Lithium Demand Driven by Growth in Electric Vehicle Sales Global EV Sales Up 60% Per Year Since 2010 Li-ion Battery Costs Down 85% Since 2010 (Pack Price – Real 2018 $/kWh) 2,500,000 $1,250 +64% 2,000,000 $1,000 -22% 1,500,000 $750 -21% +61% -8% -11% 1,000,000 $500 +46% -35% +69% -23% 500,000 $250 -26% +55% -18% +66% +66% +55% 0 $0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Source: EV Reports.com Source: Green Car Reports ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 4
It’s Not Just Tesla… Jaguar I-Pace Audi e-tron Hyundai Ionic Porsche Taycan Mini Cooper Porsche EV Taycan Mercedes EQC Rivian SUV Ford F-150 VW ID.3 ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 5
Hydroxide Taking Share and Supply Deficits are Looming • Lithium hydroxide is required for the high-nickel cathode used in more energy-dense, longer-range batteries • “Lithium extracted from mining for the future-relevant product ‘lithium hydroxide’ is commercially more attractive (there is one less production step as compared to salar production), more stable to extract, easier to scale and generally more sustainable.” – Volkswagen – April 2019 • “BMW signs contract with Ganfeng for sustainable lithium from mines in Australia” – BMW – November 2019 1,800,000 36% CAGR for Lithium Hydroxide Demand (t/y) 100,000 Hydroxide Supply Shortfalls Looming (t/y) 1,600,000 0 1,400,000 (100,000) Hydroxide Hydroxide 1,200,000 Carbonate Carbonate 1,000,000 (200,000) 800,000 (300,000) 600,000 (400,000) 400,000 (500,000) 200,000 0 (600,000) 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 Source: Rodney Hooper / RK Equity forecasts. ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 7
Piedmont Ideally Located in North Carolina… #1 0% 23% ~100% State for Business State Mining Royalties Corporate Tax Rate Past Lithium Production ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 8
…in the Heart of ‘Auto Alley’ Location drives lower costs and more sustainable supply chain ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 9
Low Costs Underpin Strong Project Economics Enlarged Mineral Resource Drives Improved Economics 25 US$298 M US$1.45 B 34% (A$438 M) (A$2.13 B) Year Mine Life Run-rate EBITDA After-tax NPV After-tax IRR Source: Updated Scoping Study. Refer to the announcement dated August 7, 2019. ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 11
Highly-Experienced Leadership Team Management Team Keith Phillips Patrick Brindle Lamont Leatherman Managing Director & CEO VP – Project Management VP – Chief Geologist 30+ Years Wall Street experience with 20+ years US and global engineering, 25+ years as an exploration geologist, senior JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch and Dahlman Rose procurement and construction experience positions in BHP & Noranda in the Carolinas Taso Arima David Buckley Tim McKenna Founder and Director VP – Process Engineering Advisor – Government Relations 12+ years natural resource visionary executive; 25+ years lithium extraction and conversion 30+ years government & investor relations, founder of multiple natural resource companies expert, ex-FMC and Albemarle including with Rockwood Lithium Technical Consultants ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 12
Hitting Milestones Should Drive Re-Rating in 2020 ✓ First-mover land package 1,439 ✓ 55,000m drilling ✓ Large high-grade resource Market Cap – US$mm 1,150 ✓ Robust scoping study ✓ Section 404 permit Hydroxide testwork 525 Prefeasibility study 437 Offtake agreements 177 Definitive feasibility study 69 Financing and construction PLL INR LAC KDR ALB / MIN LTHM ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 13
Corporate Snapshot Piedmont Lithium Limited Research Coverage Shares / ADRs (1 ADR = 100 Shares) 824.3 mm 8.24 mm Price (@ 2/7/20) A$0.13 US$8.25 Market Cap (@ 2/7/20) A$107 mm US$69 mm Cash (@ 12/31/19) A$17.1 mm US$11.4 mm Key Shareholders Australian Super 13.1% Fidelity 9.0% BNY Mellon (ADRs) 7.5% Officers and Directors 10.4% Share Price Performance - Last 3 Months Board of Directors Ian Middlemas Australia Chairman Keith D. Phillips USA CEO Anastasios Arima USA Director Jeff Armstrong USA Director Jorge Beristain USA Director Levi Mochkin Australia Director ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 14
Lithium Markets
EV Mega-Trend is Building Momentum # of EVs to be launched by 2025 • World-leader VW all-in on EVs VW 80 • Focus on LiOH from spodumene • “Mining is considered the BMW 47 future-proof solution, both Geely 41 commercially and in terms of sustainability Changan 34 FCA 32 • EU CO2 penalties a catalyst • US$39B exposure in 2021 SAIC 30 Ford 28 • Mass market vehicles coming • Ford to produce electric F-150 HMC-KIA 23 “before 2022” GM 20 • VW ID.3 launching in 2020 RNM Alliance 12 • Technology leaders positioning Peugeot 11 • Google / Waymo • Apple / Titan Toyota 10 • Amazon / Rivian Daimler 10 • Sony introduced EV at CES 0 20 40 60 80 Ford F-150 EV (2021) Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 16
Economics are the Key Driver of EV Demand • EVs are superior cars – they are smoother, quieter and faster • EVs reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 67% vs. ICEs (“Wood Mackenzie”) • EVs offer lower ‘total cost of ownership’ (“TCO”) • Far less expensive to fuel • Far less expensive to maintain • EV:ICE purchase price parity is approaching; Tesla has already achieved this with the Model 3 $45,000 $44,000 TESLA MODEL 3 AUDI S4 250 Mile Range EV Tesla Model 3 $40,000 CATEGORY Luxury sport Tesla sedan Model 3 sport sedan Luxury Toyota Camry MSRP $35,000 $33,000 0-60 MPH 3.9 seconds 4.4 seconds $30,000 RANGE 322 miles 420 miles $25,000 $25,000 $24,000 $24,000 $24,000 $25,000 PURCHASE PRICE $50,990 $58,145 $20,000 5-YEAR FUEL1 $2,549 $10,194 $17,000 $15,000 5-YEAR MAINTENANCE1 $3,018 $9,551 $10,000 5-YEAR INSURANCE1 $4,430 $4,513 $5,000 TAX INCENTIVE $3,378 $0 $0 2018 2020 2022 2024 5-YEAR TCO2 $57,609 $82,403 Source: ARK Innovation – Big Ideas 2020 1. Source: Clean Technica and OEM websites 2. Reflects New Jersey waiver of 6.625% state sales tax ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 17
EU CO2 Emissions Penalties Spurring EV Development Source: Orocobre ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 18
Supply Curtailments Support Positive Market Outlook Wodgina on care and maintenance; Kemerton delayed 9 months Mt. Holland deferred at least one year Stage 2 and 3 expansions deferred indefinitely Mt. Cattlin mine shutdown; Sal de Vida downsized Bald Hill on care and maintenance La Corne on care and maintenance Kwinana Phase 2 deferred Construction halted pending financing for cost overruns ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 19
USA is Favorable Jurisdiction vs. Leading Producers 40% royalties / social unrest / ‘war for water’ Kirchnerist politics / hyperinflation / export taxes High cost power and transport / labor shortages Imported raw materials / 16% VAT on re-exports Low costs and taxes / large market / critical material ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 20
Recent Developments in the US Electric Vehicle Space Nevada battery capacity to increase to 57 GWh and ‘Giga-Texas’ is rumored as next project Investing $600M to produce XC90 e-SUV and battery packs at Ridgeville, SC plant Joint venture to build $2.3B battery plant in Lordstown, OH Investing $2.7B to build 20 GWh battery plant in Commerce, GA Investing $12.5B to build EVs including the Mustang Mach-E and the electric F-150 Converting Detroit-Hamtramck plant to all-EV; reintroducing the Hummer as an EV brand To produce delivery trucks for Amazon and an SUV for Lincoln Investing $800M to expand Chattanooga, TN plant to make EVs and assemble batteries ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 21
Piedmont Positioned as a Domestic Supplier to the US EV Sector Raw Lithium Cathode Batteries Vehicles Materials Chemicals USA Import ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 22
Spodumene’s Hydroxide Cost Advantage “Spodumene is ~15% more cost-effective to produce lithium hydroxide than salt brine” – McKinsey & Co. Brine is typically lower cost …but spodumene is typically for carbonate… lower cost for hydroxide Source: McKinsey & Co., costs represent indicative 2025 costs for typical South American brine operations and typical Western Australian spodumene operations. ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 23
Project Background Materials
High-Grade Mineral Resource One of North America’s Largest Hard-Rock Lithium Resources 27.9 Mt @ 1.11% Li2O ▪ 764,000 tonnes of contained LCE ▪ 100% of the lithium is attributable to spodumene mineralization ▪ Shallow open pits – 74% of resource within 100m of surface and 97% within 150m ▪ Open along strike and at depth ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 25
Vast Exploration Upside Large Areas of the Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt Remain Unexplored Current Exploration Target Core Property Tonnes (Mt) Grade (Li2O%) 4.0-4.5 1.0-1.2 Central Property Tonnes (Mt) Grade (Li2O%) 2.0-2.5 1.1-1.3 Total Tonnes (Mt) Grade (Li2O%) 6.0-7.0 1.0-1.3 *The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 26
Unique “Spodumene-Only” Mineralogy • XRD analysis confirms pure spodumene “The first question an investor should nature of Piedmont’s ore body ask a hard-rock lithium CEO is “how much of the lithium reports to • Absence of petalite and lepidolite in spodumene?” – Jon Hykawy , PhD – President, pegmatites expected to lead to high Stormcrow Capital lithium recovery ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 27
Strong Metallurgical Recoveries 1.20% Resource Grade of 1.11% Li2O Recovered Grade + Exceptional Metallurgical Recoveries • ‘Spodumene-only’ mineralogy 1.00% • Abundant clean process water • 50+ years of precedent on TSB • Bench scale testwork results 0.80% = Leading ‘Recovered Grade’ Bench-Scale LiOH Testwork in Progress 0.60% NMX PLS PLL LTR GXY MIN CRE AJM A40 ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 28
By-Product Industrial Minerals Provide Strong Credit Quartz Solar Panel Glass Quartz Composites Technical Glass Feldspar Industrial Ceramics Coatings Architectural Glass Mica Cosmetics Automotive Paints Welding Rods ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 29
Disclaimers Cautionary Statements and Important Information This presentation does not constitute or form part of any offer to sell, or solicitation of any offer to buy, any securities in the United States or any other country. This presentation may not form the basis of any contract or commitment whatsoever with any person. Distribution of this presentation may be restricted by applicable law. This presentation has been prepared by Piedmont Lithium Limited (“Piedmont”) as a summary only, and does not contain all information about Piedmont’s assets and liabilities, financial position and performance, profits and losses, prospects, and the rights and liabilities attaching to Piedmont’s securities. Any investment in Piedmont should be considered speculative and there is no guarantee that they will make a return on capital invested, that dividends would be paid, or that there will be an increase in the value of the investment in the future. Piedmont does not purport to give financial or investment advice. No account has been taken of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any recipient of this presentation. Recipients of this presentation should carefully consider whether the securities issued by Piedmont are an appropriate investment for them in light of their personal circumstances, including their financial and taxation position. Forward Looking Statements This presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in Australia and the United States, including statements regarding exploration and development activities; plans for Piedmont’s mineral projects; projections of market demand and lithium prices; statements about the timing and amount of resource declarations; and statements about the timing and ability to complete scoping studies and feasibility studies. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from events, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the risk that we will be unable to commercially extract mineral deposits, that our properties may not contain expected reserves, risks and hazards inherent in the mining business (including risks inherent in developing mining projects, environmental hazards, industrial accidents, weather or geologically related conditions), uncertainty about our ability to obtain required capital to execute our business plan, our ability to hire and retain required personnel, changes in the market prices of lithium, changes in technology or the development of substitute products, the uncertainties inherent in exploratory, developmental and production activities, including risks relating to permitting and regulatory delays, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of lithium resources, risks related to competition, as well as other uncertainties and risk factors set out in filings made from time to time with the Australian Stock Exchange and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Form 20-F. Actual events, results, performance and achievements could vary significantly from the estimates presented in this presentation. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intent or obligation to update publicly such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, we undertake no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of Piedmont, its financial or operating results or its securities. Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources The information contained in this presentation has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Australia, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. The terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" are Australian terms defined in accordance with the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the “JORC Code”). However, these terms are not defined in Industry Guide 7 ("SEC Industry Guide 7") under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, information contained herein that describes Piedmont’s mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to reporting and disclosure requirements under the U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in Piedmont’s Form 20-F, a copy of which may be obtained from Piedmont or from the EDGAR system on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov/. Competent Persons Statements The information in this presentation that relates to Exploration Results, Exploration Targets, Mineral Resources, Metallurgical Testwork Results, Process Design, Process Plant Capital Costs, and Process Plant Operating Costs, Mining Engineering and Mining Schedule was extracted from our ASX announcement dated August 7, 2019 entitled “Updated Scoping Study Extends Project Life and Enhances Exceptional Economics” which is available to view on the Company’s website at www.piedmontlithium.com.website at www.piedmontlithium.com. Piedmont confirms that: a) it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original ASX announcements; b) all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning Mineral Resources, Exploration Targets, Production Targets, and related forecast financial information derived from Production Targets included in the original ASX announcements continue to apply and have not materially changed; and c) the form and context in which the relevant Competent Persons’ findings are presented in this report have not been materially modified from the original ASX announcements. Exploration Target The Exploration Target is based on the actual results of Piedmont’s previous drill programs. To determine potential tonnage and grade ranges at the deposit, Li2O assay values and density values from drilling have been applied to the volume estimates. A density value of 2.71 g/cm3 is applied to derive tonnage values. Using this methodology an Exploration Target of between 4.0 to 4.5 million tonnes at a grade of between 1.10% and 1.20% Li2O is approximated for the Core property and an Exploration Target of between 2.0 to 2.5 million tonnes at a grade of between 1.1% and 1.3% Li2O is approximated for the Central property. The potential quantity and grade of this Exploration Target is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. ASX:PLL; NASDAQ:PLL 30
Piedmont Lithium Limited A Clean Energy Company Corporate Presentation – February 2020 Keith D. Phillips – President and CEO +1 973 809 0505 kphillips@piedmontlithium.com This presentation has been authorised for release by the Company’s President & CEO, Keith D. Phillips Head Office 32 North Main Street |Suite 100 | Belmont | NC 28012 | USA Exploration Office 5706 Dallas-Cherryville Hwy. 279 | Bessemer City | NC 28016| USA Registered Office 28 The Esplanade | 9th Floor | Perth | WA 6000 | Australia www.piedmontlithium.com
You can also read